A multimedia messaging system of the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1. The multimedia messaging system 10 includes a PBX (Private Branch eXchange) telephone system 12, a messaging server 14, a LAN (Local Area Network) 16, and an Internet gateway 18. Incoming telephone lines 20 are coupled to the PBX telephone system 12. The PBX telephone system 12 is coupled to the messaging server 14. The messaging server 14 is coupled to the LAN 16. The Internet gateway 18 is coupled to the messaging server 14.
The PBX telephone system 12 includes a PBX 22 and first, second, and third telephones, 24, 26, and 28. The first, second, and third telephones, 24, 26, and 28, are coupled to the PBX 22. The PBX 22 is coupled to the messaging server 14. The LAN 16 includes a file server 30, a printer 32, and first, second, and third computers, 34, 36, and 38. The LAN 16 couples the file server 30, the printer 32, and the first, second, and third computers, 34, 36, and 38, together.
It is well known in the art that the multimedia messaging system 10 can be configured with more or less telephones, computers, file servers, or printers. Also, it is well known in the art that the Internet gateway 18 could be replaced by another type of network connection or could be eliminated altogether.
The multimedia messaging system 10 manages multiple message formats including voice messages, facsimile (fax) messages, text messages, and MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) messages including one or more binary components.
A voice message enters the multimedia messaging system 10 via one of the telephone lines 20, via the first, second, or third telephones, 24, 26, or 28, via the Internet gateway 18, or via a microphone coupled to the first, second, or third computer, 34, 36, or 38. The voice message is stored on the messaging server 14.
A voice message recipient retrieves the voice message by accessing the messaging server 14 via an external telephone, via the first, second, or third telephone, 24, 26, or 28, or via the first, second, or third computers, 34, 36, or 38. When accessing the messaging server 14 via the external telephone or via the first, second, or third telephone, 24, 26, or 28, the voice message recipient retrieves the voice message using a telephone user interface. The telephone user interface provides access to the voice message via touch-tone telephone keys and a voice prompted menu system. When accessing the voice mail message using the first, second, or third computers, 34, 36, or 38, the voice message recipient uses a voice playback/record GUI (Graphical User Interface) of the prior art and listens to the voice message via a speaker coupled to the first, second, or third computer, 34, 36, or 38.
The voice playback/record GUI of the prior art is illustrated in FIG. 2. The voice playback/record GUI 40 includes a title bar 42, a drop-down menu bar 44, a message status window 46, a progress display bar 48, a message control bar 50, a volume control 52, and a speed control 54. It is well known in the art that GUIs in general can be arranged in a multitude of formats and styles, so the voice playback/record GUI 40 should be understood to be an example format and an example style selected from the multitude of formats and styles.
The title bar 42 of the voice playback/record GUI 40 indicates a software title, which in this case is “Voice Message Software,” a generic title. The drop-down menu bar 44 includes the headings of “File,” “Audio,” “Recent,” “Options,” and “Help.” The message status window 46 indicates whether the voice message is in “Play” mode, “Pause” mode, or “Record” mode. The message status window 46 also indicates a current location within the message. In FIG. 2, the voice message is in the “Pause” mode and the current locations is indicated as “0 kb” and “00:00.” The latter indicates “00” minutes and “00” seconds.
The progress display bar 48 includes a progress display indicator 56, a move backward button 58, and a move forward button 60. As the voice message is being played, the progress display indicator 56 moves across the progress display bar 48 from left to right. The move backward and move forward buttons, 58 and 60, are used to move backward or forward within the voice message. The message control bar 50 includes a go-to-beginning icon 62, a skip back icon 64, a stop icon 66, a play icon 68, a skip forward icon 70, a go-to-end icon 72, a record icon 74, and an erase icon 76, all of which are clickable icons used to facilitate control of the voice message.
Faced with the problem of finding a specific piece of information within a voice message, such as an address, a telephone number, or a day and time, the voice message recipient will either listen from the beginning of the message until the voice message recipient hears the specific piece of information or the voice message recipient will use the skip forward icon 70 or skip back icon 64 to try to locate the specific piece of information.
It would be advantageous to be able to find a specific piece of information within a voice message more efficiently.
What is needed is a method of efficiently finding a specific piece of information within a voice message.